Redhawk Caldera Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore

I power played your toon a little bit; I hope that's okay! :}

The pups had reached yet another milestone: although they had been sampling meat since their second week of life, their parents were now starting to wean them. In a matter of weeks, they would be full-time carnivores. Along with more protein in their diet came more energy and activity. They rarely remained within the confines of the whelping den these days. They spent most of their time in the little dooryard, though sometimes they followed Peregrine or Fox a few meters beyond that. Within a week or two, they would begin straying much further, albeit with adult supervision. The family would come to abandon the den right around the same time that the three cubs were fully weaned, at their eight-week mark.

Their language skills were developing rapidly as well. By now, all three of them could babble in their strange alien language. Of course, none of the adults could really follow (not for lack of trying!), though the three of them seemed to have no trouble understanding one another. They were three peas in a pod. They had their spats now and then and some measure of sibling rivalry was normal even for the closest brothers and sisters. Only time would tell if they would remain close or drift from one another in time.

This week, Wildfire was a big fan of her sister in particular. Although @Raven was younger, she was already bigger than her litter mate. Besides, neither one of them knew anything about age. Wildfire found herself looking up to Raven, fascinated with her darker sibling. She followed her wherever she went and complained if they were separated for too long. Whether they were playing, sleeping or eating, Wildfire wanted to be right next to Raven at all times.

Presently, the two of them had strayed a few feet beyond the patch of grass in front of the den. Peregrine was stretched out nearby, though he'd fallen asleep when a soft, fuzzy Nightjar had slipped under his arm, forming the perfect pillow. The girls were a bit too young to be willfully disobedient, though Wildfire kept inching away from the little dooryard. This was mostly due to the fact that she was collecting sticks and rocks. The more she added to the pile, the further she had to go back out to fetch some more. Considering how quickly she was accumulating these objects, it wouldn't be long before she began straying from view of the den, though only if Raven accompanied her.

You're welcome to powerplay my brat anytime, friend!  This is kind of weird and awkwardly written.  I apologize!  I'm really sleepy but wanted to get a reply up for you before I crash.

Raven had begun coming into her own personality in the last few weeks.  She was becoming more inquisitive and curious, paying attention to things her parents and packmates did, watching the responses they got, and learning from them.  She was a quiet and reserved child, content to let her siblings go first while she hung back and watched to see what happened.  She was larger than her brother and sister, but considerably less bold.  However, that didn't stop her from being lured away from her father's watchful...er, currently snoring supervision by the promise of new and interesting things.  Having her sister beside her gave her confidence she otherwise wouldn't have had.

Grinning, she toddled after Wildfire as the flame-kissed girl collected sticks, rocks, and other forest detritus from around the den site.  Raven helped by picking up things she found interesting, carrying them around, and then putting them down again.  The recent warmer weather and gentle showers had brought new blooms and the first spring flowers to the area; Raven came across one such flower, a tiny little lavender blossom partly hidden in the thick clovers that grew outside their den, and with a squeak of delight she plucked it and held it proudly up for her sister to see.

Wildfire blinked and lifted her head when Raven squeaked, then hopped to her sister's side to investigate her discovery. For reasons the pup certainly could not articulate, she wasn't as interested in flowers and plants. She preferred sticks, rocks and the like. Yet she certainly wasn't going to reject Raven's contribution, considering her feelings toward her sister recently bordered on worshipful. The smaller girl's tail wiggled and after exchanging a questioning look from Raven, Wildfire gently plucked the little blossom from the other pup's mouth and gingerly dropped it atop the growing pile. She then looked up at Raven, tail wagging even faster as she awaited her sister's approval.

Soon enough, the treasure hunt resumed. Wildfire bumped against Raven, murmuring, "Rum issay?" and then leading the way still further from their slumbering father and brother. She paused, waiting to make sure her sibling was just behind her, then began to walk again. She only meant to go a few more feet, though the ground began to dip down somewhat and it offered a wide-ranging view of the surrounding area. Wildfire paused, blinking loudly at the hugeness of it all, then exchanged a tentative glance with her sister.

"Ooh gwee?" she asked this time, then suddenly broke into a clumsy trot down the small slope, angling toward where the grass ended and gave way to rockier ground. Wildfire could already see so many rocks there and she was eager to add every last one to her growing collection.

Sorriest of sorries for the lengthy wait, m'dear!  Life = all kinds of nuts right now, oi. 
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Raven was pleased when her sister dropped the lavender blossom in with her collection of other prizes, feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment as though she had truly contributed something worthwhile. Wildfire wasn't the only one with worshipful sentiments toward her siblings, it seemed! Behind the charcoal-coated girl's calm and quiet demeanor were the emerging glimmers of a hunger for acceptance and approval, and Wildfire accepting her flower with such enthusiasm felt so good that she felt like she might explode with excitement and giddy satisfaction.

Wildfire had bigger plans in mind, though, and Raven caught on quickly when her fire-draped sister led her to the edge of a small downward hill. "Huh-brrrr!" she replied to her sister's comments as Wildfire started down the slope. She was eager to follow but was admittedly a little intimidated by the steepness of the ground; however, seeing Wildfire handling it like a pro vanquished whatever misgivings she had and she took off, cantering awkwardly behind her much more graceful sibling. As they came to the bottom, Raven slowed her pace and found herself looking back up the hill where they had been moments before. "Da?" She wondered for a moment why their father hadn't followed. The thought was fleeting, however, and seconds later she was focused on her sister again.

No worries. I know they grow up fast and all but I've never been one to rush through pup threads. They're only little once! :)

It might have seemed to Raven that Wildfire made an elegant descent, yet it was mostly a total fluke. Toward the end of the slope, her stroke of luck ran out completely and the pup tumbled, rolling the last few yards. As soon as she came to a stop, she bounced back onto her feet with nary a complaint. She was used to her own klutziness by now. She rejoined Raven, unaware that her sister was basically none the wiser about her less than graceful landing.

"Err?" she questioned when Raven said, "Da?" Wildfire looked around but did not see him. She wasn't concerned, though, especially when the thousands of rocks once more captured her attention. "Ook!" she said loudly, tail stirring the air as she trotted into the sea of stones. It was overwhelming. Which one should she pick first? The choices were literally endless...

Sucking in a breath, Wildfire's golden eyes found Raven and she said, "Ew!" By this, she meant you, as in she wanted Raven to choose for her. She trusted her sister's opinion more than her own. Hopefully the other little girl would understand what she meant.

Raven did understand her sister's implication that she should be the one to choose the first stone.  The moment of worry she had felt at their father's absence was already forgotten, and with her tail waving goofily over her hindquarters, she commenced to searching for the perfect rock.  Her stormy blue eyes scanned over the ground, searching for qualities that would probably make no sense to anyone but her and Wildfire.  "Noooo," she mumbled repeatedly as she moved past rocks that didn't appeal to her.  "Noo...nooooo..."  Only the best for Wildfire.  

Then she saw one that made her pause.  "Huff uhh?" she asked her red sister, pointing at the rock.  It was a little too big to be carried in a puppy's mouth, but it was so lovely.  As it laid in a patch of soft sunlight, minute crystals glittered and shimmered like so many stars on its banded grey- and white surface.  Years of weathering had shaped its edges so they were rounded and smooth, and Raven thought it a perfect gift for Wildfire.  "Heeee!" she declared proudly as she touched it with her nose.

Raven understood and began her perusal of the rocks. Although Wildfire intended to defer to her sister's choice, she joined her in appraising the vast selection of stones. She did not remark the way Raven did, though her bat-like ears quivered with every instance and variation of no as Raven rejected one rock after another. She would only choose perfection, of course!

At last, something else tumbled from Raven's lips. Wildfire was at her sister's side at once, yellow eyes fixating upon the rock in question. It had a strange quality, one the cub couldn't quite grasp or define. It appeared to sparkle, sort of like sunlight on water. Wildfire licked her lips, studying the rock. When her litter mate hunched down to press her nose to it, she did the same, going cross-eyed in the process.

"Hee, ya!" she said agreeably after a few seconds of close scrutiny. Because she was young and a wolf, she finished up her study with a long lick to the rock, which felt smooth on her tongue and tasted slightly earthy. "Ooh, dew! Sees!" Wildfire said happily, black tail wagging as she lifted her head and swiped Raven's cheek with her tongue in a show of thanks.

Raven basked in the glow of her sister's approval, happiness filling her until she felt she might burst.  If her tail wagged any faster, it was quite possible she might actually lift off the ground like a helicopter.  She trembled with excitement, grinning from ear to ear, and exclaimed, "HEEE!  Sees!"  

Clearly, Wildfire's almost worshipful fixation on her sister was not a one-sided thing.

A problem arose when Raven attempted to pick the rock up a moment later.  Obviously, this lovely prize had to be added to Wildfire's collection back up the hill near their den.  But when Raven attempted to pick it up, it was, of course, way too heavy.  "Ahmee arr buh!" she said to the rock with an annoyed frown, cocking her head as she assessed it.  She pushed it with her paw and it rolled with reasonable ease, but it was going to be difficult to get back home.  Troubled, she looked at her sister for guidance.

Wildfire observed, head cocked, as Raven attempted to pick up the rock. It was either too heavy, too cumbersome or both. She was smaller than her sister, though there was no way the red whelp could make that connection yet, so she scooted forward to try. Of course, she had less success than Raven. Wildfire's brow furrowed, her warm golden brown eyes fixating on the stone as she tried to figure out how on earth the two of them could transport it. Maybe they could both carry it at once somehow...?

Before she could delve too deep into thought on the matter, a loud bark made the cub jump, then shrink. "There you are!" came a familiar voice and Wildfire looked up to see their father trotting down toward them. He looked more relieved than angry, though there was a hardness to the lines of his black body. Instinctively, Wildfire dropped to her belly and averted her eyes, her flank pressing against her sister's.

"Bad girls," Peregrine murmured over their heads, shaking his own. His jade eyes pinned on a rock in front of the two misbehaved pups. It had a trail of drool on it. Despite himself, the Alpha snickered. "Hunting for rocks, huh? Why does that not surprise me? But you shouldn't leave my sight. Bad girls," he repeated emphatically, so they would understand that they'd disobeyed him.

Wildfire whined under her breath. She didn't dare look upward, sensing that pure submission was the best course of action. She didn't even glance up when she felt something nudge her foot, then felt a swoosh of air and a new emptiness next to her. She licked her lips. Raven was still next to her, so Peregrine hadn't scruffed her. The child nibbled on her bottom lip, trying to understand while simultaneously resisting temptation...

"C'mon," Peregrine said brusquely, his voice strangely garbled. At last, Wildfire looked up at her father. Her face broke into a wide grin when she saw that he'd picked up their stone! But then her ears wilted and she looked at her forepaws when his hard eyes looked into her face. Making a quiet coughing noise and exchanging a glance with Raven, Wildfire began to slink forward, following her father back in the direction of the den. Despite her whipped body language, she was quietly elated that he was bringing their chosen rock with them.

We can wrap this up here if you'd like! :)

An instinctive fear gripped her heart when she saw Peregrine loping toward them, his body language stiff and his eyes chilly with veiled, controlled anger.  When he spoke, his voice had a subtle edge to it.  Like her sister alongside her, Raven wasted no time in dropping down to the ground.  Her submission was an automatic and unthinking thing -- fear of the alpha was woven into the fabric of every wolf, even the smallest babe.  She found solace in the presence of Wildfire beside her; somehow, getting in trouble with someone else was less scary than getting in trouble by oneself. Her tail tucked firmly between her hind legs, her ears flat, and her eyes refusing to leave Wifi's red shoulder, she took her scolding without a whimper. Perhaps later on, as she got bigger and bolder, she'd ply her father with excuses and "but Dad!"s...

Curiosity got the best of her when her father's voice changed a moment later, and she smiled when she saw their special rock in his mouth. The chastising they'd just received was seemingly forgotten as she gazed up at him, her tail waving behind her as joy and excitement overtook the fear and remorse that had consumed her only moments ago. This was what her dad would always be to her -- her hero, the "fixer" of all her problems, the guy who -- despite being pissed at her -- would still go to the trouble of carrying a stupid rock home just because she liked it. Being sure to keep up with Peregrine as he stalked back home, she nibbled playfully on Wildfire's shoulder and silently reveled in the day's success.